Copyright © 2009 Peel, Inc. Lost Creek Times - September 2009 �

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Lost Creektimes

September 2009 News for the Residents of Lost Creek Volume 2, Issue 9

Lost Creek

(Continued on Page 3)(Continued on Page 3)

Healthier HomesImprove Neighborhood Air Quality

Fragrance Free Dryer ExhaustBy: Charlie & Michelle Bubnis

Have you ever been walking in the neighborhood enjoying the fresh air and then suddenly you are hit by the sweet fragranced smell of a heated artificial, petrochemical based scent from someone’s clothes dryer exhaust? Often times a headache will occur, similar to people’s reaction to perfumes worn in the office or at church. This is a normal protective reaction by the body as these fragrances are harmful neurotoxins and should be avoided whenever possible. National surveys found that at least 10% of the population reacts adversely to laundry products vented to the outdoors. Young children are particularly affected by fragranced chemicals because their body’s detoxification mechanism is not fully developed.

Some of the most common chemicals used in fragranced laundry products are benzyl acetate, camphor, ethyl acetate, limonene and pentane. Many of these substances are capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders, allergic reactions and chemical sensitivities. Some are on the EPA’s hazardous waste list. According to a joint study by NIOSH and the U.S. House Subcommittee on Business Opportunities, 778 of the chemicals used in the chemical fragrance industry cause acute toxicity.

So the next time you are considering picking up a box of fragranced laundry detergent or fragranced dryer sheets…think about the impact on the neighborhood air quality and the proliferation of second hand scents. Healthier options could be: Add baking soda to the rinse cycle, or add ½ cup vinegar to the wash cycle to soften fabrics and reduce static cling. Vinegar is a natural fabric softener.

Do the neighborhood a favor and make sure your dryer exhaust doesn’t pollute the environment. Be kind to yourself and to your neighbors, use unscented laundry products.

Online Shopping and Doing it Safely

Submitted by Laurie Scott

Online shopping is fast and money saving, but it can also be a minefield filled with everything from a disreputable seller to identity theft. However, with basic safeguards you can take advantage of the variety and cost savings the Internet can provide, while saving time and gas.

First, ALWAYS make sure before entering your credit card number in any website that you have a secure connection (easily confirmed by the https://… in the address bar rather than the usual http://…) Second, do basic research about the vendor if you’re not familiar with them. A simple Google search on the name of the company will tell you if you’re dealing with a legitimate company - if in doubt, shop elsewhere, it’s not worth saving $2.00 if the company isn’t reliable.

An excellent option is available from many credit card companies, this is known as “Virtual” account numbers (one-time use) that if stolen, won’t do the thief any good. This can be either in the form of an online tool you use prior to your purchase, or an applet you download one-time to your computer and use it to generate a new number for you. You can ask at your bank if they offer this, but you’re probably better off checking with their online support (they may not know in the brick and mortar building.) How it works is the applet generates a credit card number for you including the 3 digit security code and an expiration date (usually

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DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser.* The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising.* Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction.* Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.

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AdvertisiNg iNformAtioNPlease support the businesses that advertise in the Lost Creek Times. Their advertising dollars make it possible for all The Lost Creek Times residents to receive the monthly newsletter at no charge. If you would like to support the newsletter by advertising, please contact our sales office at 888-687-6444 or advertising@PEELinc.com. The advertising deadline is the 10th of each month for the following month's newsletter.

disclAimerAt no time will any source be allowed to use the Lost Creek Times contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from the Peel, Inc. The information in the newsletter is exclusively for the private use of Peel, Inc..

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lost creek timeshomes- (Continued from Cover Page)

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the end of the current month). The credit card company knows this number was generated for you, and charges your account normally just as if you had entered your real credit card information. The great thing is that it is good for the one purchase, and after that the number is not valid. If you want to make another purchase, you just have another number generated for you. The next month someone else may get that same number to use, but it will have a different security code and expiration date, so the credit card company won’t be confused and think this is you.

Because we all have so many sites that require us to have a username and a password, it is easy to just use the same login for all your sites to keep it simple. The problem with this is of course if someone should get your username and password to one site, they now have it to all your sites. roboform is a great tool that I use many times throughout the day. This inexpensive program (available at www.roboform.com) will store as many user names and passwords as you need, allowing you to create different logins for each site with real hard passwords (because now you don’t have to remember them.) If you have a Mac, 1Password is an excellent solution (available at agilewebsolutions.com) A great benefit of roboform is that IF you are

internet shopping - (Continued from Cover Page)

(Continued on Page 4)

Go GreenGo PaperlessSign up to receive The Lost Creek Times in your inbox. Visit PEELinc.com for details.

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infected with a keystroke logger trojan (a virus that sends all your keystroke information back to the author of the virus), nothing is captured by the virus because roboform doesn’t use the keyboard mode to enter your personal information. All your information is kept securely encrypted using a passphrase only you know. If your computer is ever stolen, no one will be able to see your usernames and passwords because they won’t know your master passphrase. Also, it has a password generator that will create passwords that are almost impossible to figure out (the limiting factor is the site and their password policy.)

So don’t fear shopping on the Internet, just take basic precautions and you’ll be fine.

Next month, news about the upcoming operating system from Microsoft, Windows 7.

internet shopping - (Continued from Page 3)

Don’t want to wait for the mail?View the current issue of the Lost Creek Times on the

1st day of each month at www.PEELinc.com

If you would like to submit YOUR recipeemail it to articles@peelinc.com.

Recipe of the MonthDream Delight

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6 egg whites • 1 cup pecans2 cups sugar • 2 tsp. vanilla3/4 tsp. cream of tartar2 cups crackers (Club or Waverly)

Beat egg whites until stiff. Gradually add sugar and cream of tartar. Add vanilla. Fold in crackers and pecans. Spread in a 9 x 13” pan cake pan. Bake at 350º until light brown about 20-25 minutes. Cool completely. Top with your favorite fruit and Cool Whip.

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A Sensible Plan for College fundingSubmitted by Rich Keith

Previously we discussed that how you fund college expenses is divided naturally between using your money, and by using other peoples’ money. This sounds simple but each scenario requires understanding of the long-term impacts. The first thing your financial coach should be asking you is about your strategy for funding. Are you willing to fund 2 years? 4 years? Graduate school too? Community college, public university or private?

In President Lincoln’s time, the typical family chose only one promising male child to attend college. While these men often became very successful (witness William Henry Seward, Lincoln’s Secretary of State), their other children were left out of the equation. Today’s children are much luckier. Even so, ask the hard questions starting at or before your oldest child’s 15th birthday. While they may tell you that attending a community college will deprive them of the college experience, consider what that college experience will cost in real dollars. And, getting into college as a junior is sometimes less competitive than entering as a freshman. Better yet, some community colleges have written agreements with universities on which classes are transferrable.

Importantly, parents need to figure out their college budget ahead of time and then discuss it with their child before he or she applies. In this way, colleges with the net cost above the predetermined budget can come off the list. The funding

budget is made of a combination of moneys coming from your pre-tax accounts, regular (taxable) savings, and retirement accounts, to name a few. Several savings plans are available and many are tax-advantaged. Your financial professional and tax pro can help you here.

There are advantages and disadvantages to using your own money for college expenses. A detailed plan will reveal the opportunity cost of funding everything yourself. That’s one reason why people turn to loans. remember the power of using the IrS “tax scholarships” to help you maximize every dollar saved. Any time you can reduce your tax it’s the same as a scholarship or grant. And the benefits to you increase as your tax bracket increases. Importantly, all educational tax strategies must be reviewed with your tax advisor in order to coordinate the interrelationship between tax, other financial aid and your family’s overall financial plan for the future. Next month: more on tax scholarships.

� Lost Creek Times - September 2009 Copyright © 2009 Peel, Inc.

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Nature watch - Amazing Arthropodsby Jim and Lynne Weber

From the Greek roots of arthron (meaning ‘joint’) and podos (meaning ‘foot’), arthropods are animals characterized by their jointed limbs and repeating body segments, each with a pair of appendages. They are so versatile that they have been called the “Swiss Army knives of species”, and make up over 80% of all described living species known to date. In central Texas, the most fascinating arthropods include the scorpion and the centipede.

Of the 90 species of scorpions identified in the United States, 18 of them occur in Texas and only one statewide. The number of species found increases as you move west and south in the state, with two species occurring in the Austin area (compared to 14 in Big Bend National Park!). Close relatives of ticks, mites, and spiders, scorpions are easily recognized by their shape, generally prefer dry habitats, hide during the day, and are most active at night.

The most common scorpion in our area is the striped bark scorpion, which has two broad, black bands running down the length of its back. Tan in overall color, this species can be easily identified

by its slender pincer-bearing arms (pedipalps) and long, slender tail, which is longer on males than females. While these scorpions can mate in the fall, spring, or early summer, gestation requires about 8 months. Litter size can vary from 13 to 47, with the average being 31! Immature scorpions molt up to six times before they mature, with the first being anywhere from 3 to 7 days after birth. Born

alive in semi-transparent sacs, once they shed these thin layers they spend their first few weeks riding on their mother’s back, and have a life expectancy of about 4 years.

Like all scorpions, the striped bark scorpion has four pairs of legs with a comb-like structure called the pectines between its’ last pair of legs. While scorpions also have two eyes on the top of the head and two to five pairs of eyes along the front corners of the head, they do not see well and must rely on the pectines to identify different surface textures and to help detect prey. Their nocturnal habits assist them in managing temperature and water balance which are important

Striped Bark Scorpion

(Continued on Page 7)

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functions for survival in dry habitats. While the sting of this species is painful and can cause swelling, none of the species in Texas are considered deadly. However, a person who has been stung should be watched for any adverse reaction.

Known as the largest centipede in North America, the giant redheaded or Texas redhead is among the largest of any many-legged centipede in the world. These fast-moving and aggressive “titans” differ from millipedes by the presence of only one pair of legs per body segment, and those legs are attached to the sides of each segment rather than near the midline.

While not frequently observed, those Texas redheads that do make themselves known attract a lot of attention due to their large size and fierce appearance. They average about 6-8 inches in length and in rare cases may reach up to 10 inches! Their coloration is striking, where the head and the first two body segments are dark red, the wide trunk is black tinged with green, and the first 20 pairs of legs are yellow. The posterior end of the centipede holds the 21st

Texas Redhead

pair of legs, which are enlarged in size and mostly black with yellow tips. It is widely believed that this coloration plays a key role in warding off potential predators by clearly advertising its poisonous qualities and confrontational nature.

Like the striped bark scorpion, the Texas redhead is a predator whose prey (primarily other insects) is captured and killed by its poison claws. Again, its bite, while painful, is not deadly to humans, but the same precautions should be taken.

While arthropods like scorpions and centipedes can be the source of nightmares and phobias for many people, their role in the ecosystem is one of extreme versatility. By examining the ways in which they are adapted to survive in a wide range of conditions, we learn that they are largely beneficial to us by keeping the balance of harmful insects in check, and when encountered, make for a Texas-sized story or two!

Send your nature-related questions to naturewatch@austin.rr.com and we’ll do our best to answer them.

Nature watch - (Continued from Page 6)

� Lost Creek Times - September 2009 Copyright © 2009 Peel, Inc.

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Increasing water safety awareness and standards

FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DROWNING

For more information,check out our website at

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Drowning is the leadingcause of unintentional

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Drowning is the 2nd leading cause of unintentional injury-related death ages 1-14.

DROWNING WILL AFFECT YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW

Most children are out of sight or missing for less than 5 minutes and usually in the presence of 1 or both parents.5min

Drowning occurs in as little as 2 minutes.

Most children die who are submerged for as little as 6-10

Irreversible brain damage occurs in as little as 4 minutes.

2min 4min 6min

Children who drown do not scream, splash, or struggle. They silently slip beneath the water, even with adults & lifeguards present.

DROWNING IS QUICK AND SILENT

DROWNING CAN STILL OCCUR EVEN IF YOU KNOW HOW TO SWIM

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Falls, entrapments, and injuries lead to drowning regardless of swimming level.

NO ONE is “drown proof” – no matter their level of swimming ability.

A majority of people overestimate their own and their child’s ability to swim, especially in a panic event.